Monthly Archives: November 2012

Post navigation

WHITTIER — Police arrested a man and woman following a brief pursuit and crash after they were found sleeping in a stolen car early Friday, authorities said.
Michael Daniel Agredano, 20, and Martha Martinez, 23, were booked on suspicion of auto theft following the incident, which began about 5:25 a.m. in the 11500 block of South Circle Drive, Whittier police Lt. Randy Inman said. Additional charges, including resisting arrest, may also be sought against Agredano.
A patrol officer came across a parked stolen car with a man and woman — later identified as Agredano and Martinez — sleeping inside, the lieutenant said.
As officers tried to approach the car, the occupants awoke and Agredano sped away, officials said, but crashed into a an electrical pole a short distance away in the 5200 block of Rideout Way, Inman said.
Leaving Martinez in the car, Agredano continued fleeing on foot but was soon found hiding in some nearby bushes, police said.
Martinez was hospitalized in unknown condition and issued a felony citation, Inman said.
According to county booking records, Agredano was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail pending his initial court appearance.

A judge sentenced a Whittier man arrested earlier this year on suspicion of trying to strangle his wife to three years in prison Thursday, officials said.
William Farrell, who turned 44 Thursday, was sentenced after pleading ‘no contest’ to a felony count of domestic violence in Norwalk Superior Court, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Jane Robison said.
Charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and battery causing serious injury were dismissed, she said.
Whittier police officers responded May 30 to the couple’s home in the 10900 block of 1st Avenue after someone inside called 9-1-1 and dropped the phone, Whittier police officials said.
Officers found Farrell standing next to his wife, who was screaming, officials said.
She relayed to officers that her husband had told her he was going to kill her and choked her with an extension cord until she passed out.

COVINA — A small camera was discovered attached near a bank ATM on Thursday.
The discovery at the Chase Bank, 1453 N Azusa Ave., was reported to Covina police around 5 p.m.
Lt. Dave Foster said the camera was placed there in an attempt to get the PIN codes of people using the ATM.
He said he believed a bank employee found the camera.

A fleeing burglary suspect tried to climb a fence but fell about 30 feet into a flood control wash Thursday night, deputies said.
Mark Spencer, 38, of Lake Elsinore was hospitalized for treatement of apparently non-life-threatening injuries suffered in the fall pending booking, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Greg Arnold said.
Authorities rescued the injured suspect, hoisting him out of the wash in a basket, officials said.
Sgt. Rob Jones of the sheriff’s Norwalk Station said witnesses saw a man breaking into a couple of vehicles in the 16800 block of Trojan Way at 9:43 p.m. They called the station.
Jones said witnesses tried to confront the man who ran and attempted to jump a fence. Instead, the man tumbled down a flood control channel at Trojan Way and Firestone Boulevard.
Jones said Buena Park police also responded since it is a border area.
Two officers qualified to do rescues went down the wash and handcuffed the suspect who was then hoisted up in a basket, according to Jones.

PASADENA — A man was found at a Pasadena bus stop with a grazing gunshot wound to his face early Friday would not tell investigators what had happened, authorities said.
The slightly wounded man was found at a bus stop near Lincoln Avenue and Montana Street shortly before 12:30 a.m., Pasadena police Sgt. Kate Favara said.
The man, who was in his mid-20s, had suffered “a superficial grazing wound to the face,” but did not appear seriously injured, the sergeant said. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Police said the man refused to cooperate with officers and provided no information regarding what had occurred or where it took place.

BALDWIN PARK — A drunk man was shot in the arm during an argument with two other men Thursday night, police said.
The victim, described as a transient in his 30s, was in stable condition at a hospital. Officers are still looking for the suspects.
The shooting broke out in the 14400 block of Olive Street at 5:46 p.m.
Baldwin Park police Lt. Joe Bartolotti said the victim argued with two men. He didn’t know what the dispute stems from.
He said one of the suspects shot the victim who then got on a bicycle and rode to Olive Street and Maine Avenue.
The suspects were last seen running westbound on Olive Street, according to Bartolotti.
Both suspects were described as Latinos in their 20s. One wore a gray sweatshirt while the other was garbed in a black shirt.
The victim was taken to a hospital.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call Baldwin Park police at 626-960-1955.

PASADENA — For the second time in two days, a crash involving an overturned big rig blocked westbound morning traffic on the Foothill (210) Freeway through Pasadena, officials said.
The wreck was first reported about 2:25 a.m. on the transition road where the westbound 210 Freeway forks with the Ventura (134) Freeway, California Highway Patrol Officer Francisco Villalobos said.
The westbound 210 Freeway connector road to the westbound 210 Freeway remained closed until about 9:15 a.m., according to the CHP.
Officials re-opened one lane of the connector road from the eastbound 134 Freeway to the westbound 210 Freeway about 7:45 a.m., and the entire transition road at about 9 a.m., officials said.
The wreck involved three big rigs altogether and was being investigated as two separate collisions, Villalobos said.
“A big rig was taking transition road and struck a light pole and subsequently jackknifed,” he said.
Just after the first crash, a second big rig crashed into the overturned truck, and a third big rig collided with the second, Villalobos said.
One of the disabled big rigs leaked about 70 gallons of diesel fuel into the roadway, he added, further complicating the clean-up of the crash scene.
“The good thing about this is there were no injuries,” Villalobos said.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation, and it was not clear if the rainy weather played a role.
“Roadway condition is one of the factors that the officers will look into,” Villalobos said. “(But) we really don’t like to say rain causes collisions. It’s the way people drive in the rain.”
Whether the weather is wet or dry, drivers need to make sure they are travelling at a safe speed for the conditions, he said.
Another jackknifed big rig at the same location shortly before 8 a.m. Thursday forced the closure of the westbound 210 Freeway transition road to the westbound 210 Freeway for more than three hours, according to CHP officer Ed Jacobs.
“We’re still expecting rain, so we’re reminding everyone you can’t drive the same speed as you do during the dry season,” Villalobos said.
He added that motorists should make sure windshield wipers are working, check for proper tread on tires and leave plenty of following space when out on the road.

WHITTIER — The Whittier Police Department is joining with the Salvation Army for their annual Christmas Toy Drive, police said.
Donations of toys are being accepted through December 12 at collection sites including Whittier City Hall, Palm Park, Parnell Park, the Whittier Senior Center, the Whittier Community Library Center and the Whittier Public Library.
The Salvation Army is coordinating sign-ups for families wishing to be recipients in the toy distribution.
For more information, contact Nadine Alvarez of the Salvation Army at (562) 698-8348, ext. 201.

ARCADIA — Police plan to screen drivers at multiple checkpoints in Arcadia Saturday, officials said.
The checkpoints will be held at undisclosed locations during evening hours, Arcadia police officials said in a written statement.
Additionally, police reminded the public that Jan’s Towing provides a free “Don’t Drive Drunk” detour program year-round, and will provide a free tow home up to seven miles within their service area.

Comments Policy

We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. Although we do not pre-screen comments, we reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.

If you see comments that you find offensive, please use the “Flag as Inappropriate” feature by hovering over the right side of the post, and pulling down on the arrow that appears. Or, contact our editors by emailing moderator@langnews.com.